Jane Skinner had offers from the University of Western Sydney, UTS and a $10,000 scholarship proposal from the University of Sydney when she made the decision to take her 94.25 ATAR and study at the University of Wollongong.
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The sandstone offer was tempting, she said, but Wollongong had its charms.
"It's close to home and my older sister goes there and she loves it," said Miss Skinner, of Douglas Park, who plans to study exercise science and rehabilitation at UOW.
"I didn't know what accommodation would be available in Sydney.
"And the Wollongong [campus] is so impressive. It's a beautiful uni."
The St Patrick's College Campbelltown graduate is among about 150 high-achieving HSC students who have been courted by UOW with the offer of a $3000 scholarship.
The Vice-Chancellor's Academic Excellence Scholarships are offered to the top 5 per cent of students in the university's main drawing area.
On the eve of the Universities Admissions Centre's "locking in" date for preferences for autumn admission, about 80 of the students attended an invitation-only afternoon tea on Tuesday to accept scholarships, meet faculty staff and discuss other scholarship opportunities and advanced course options.
Holy Spirit College student Thomas Garrety (ATAR 99.6) was the highest-scoring student to accept a scholarship.
According to UAC data, UOW became a more popular choice in 2014. The university was the first choice of 4606 NSW and ACT students seeking admission to university in 2015. This was 5.79 per cent of all NSW-ACT students seeking admission compared with 3951 or 4.9 per cent the year before.
